Panel or switch box



June 5, 1945., R, SMITH PANEL OR- SWITCH BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMarch 20, 1942 A INVENTOR. GEORGE R. SMITH June 5, 1945. e. R. SMITHPANEL OR SWITCH BOX Filed March 20, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VIIIIIIIIJ rmFIG-.9.

FIG .7.

FIG.10.

' mmv'roza. GEORGE R. SMITH Patented June 5, 1945 George R. Smith,

signor to Win. 'Wurdack Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation ofMissouri ichmond Heights, M .as-

Electric Manufacturing Application March 20, 1942, Serial No.*435,531

This invention relates generally to panel or switch boxes. Moreparticularly, myinvention relates to atcertain new and usefulimprovement in locking means especially, though not exclu-' sively,adapted for the doors of panel or switch boxes ofxthe type :shown inLetters Patent No. 9,651,523, of July 24,1934, and has for its chiefobject the provision of readily installed and actua'ble means forsecurely locking the door of such a switch-cabinet or box in closedposition for with'statndingthe disrupting or opening force of a severefuse-explosion or the like.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides inthe novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination:ofparts presently described and pointed out inthe claims. t l

, Inthe accompanying drawings (two sheets),- Figure 1 is a plan view ofa panel or switchbox equipped with door-locking means embodying myinvention, the several levers thereof being in projected or doorlockingposition;

Figure :2 :is a longitudinal sectional view of the box and door-lockingmeans taken approximately on the line 2-2, Figure 1; i

Figure -3 is a transverse sectional view of the box and door-lockingmeans taken approximatelyon the .line 1'3-3, Figure 1; t

Figure 4 is a fragmental plan view of the box, illustrating thedoor-locking levels in retracted or door-opening position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken approximately on theline 5-5, Figure 1;

Figure 6 :is anenlarged detail sectional view taken approximately on theline 6-6, Figure 1; Figure 7 is a plan view quite similar to Figure 1 ofa slightly modified embodiment of my invention;

Figures -8 and 9 are detail transverse sectional views takenapproximately onthe lines 8 8 and 9--9,-Figuref7, respectively;

Figure 10 is an enlarged 'fragmental plan view illustrating a slightlymodified bar-accommodating bracket forming part of the door-lockingmeans of my inventiton; and

Figures 11 and 12 are detailtrans verse and longitudinal sectionalviews, respectively, taken approximately on the respective lines I IHand |2--|2, Figure 10. I

Referring now more in detail and by reference characters to thedrawings, which illustrate practical embodiments of my invention, thebox or cabinet proper, generally designated A, is in form and structuresubstantially identical with the panel :or switch-box shown anddescribed in said 4 Claims. (01. 292-4) Letters Patent No; 1,967,523,issued on July 24, 1934,:130 William Wurdack, now deceased, for Panel orswitch box. Reference to such letters patent is made for a full,detailldescription of the box or cabinet A. For present purposes,suffice to merely say that the box A is in the form ofa preferablymetallic rectangular shell or cas ing preferably open at its oppositeends to facilitateelectrical connections and comprising a rear wall aand forwardly projecting side walls b.

The side walls b are preferably connected .at

' one end by a cross anglestrip I, for purposes presently appearing, andat their, forward margins are ofiset inwardly, as at 2, as best seen inFigure 3, to accommodate the lateral side flanges 3 of a lid ordoor,designated B in Figures 1 to 6, both inclusive, B in Figures '7 to 9,both inclusive, and B'i' in Figures 10 to 12, both 'inclusive, which isconstructed of suitable sheet-metallic material, is of a size tosnuglyand completely fit over and upon the free margins of theside wallsb, and at its one end is provided with a lateral flange 4, welded orotherwisefixed to which are opposed pivot-members 5 adapted to endwiseproject through registering openings provided for the purposein theshell side walls b and inthe lateral cover flanges 3, as best seen inFigure 1, for swingably securing the particular lid to and upon shell A.

At suitable locations "adjacent its opposite side margins and alsoadjacent itsone end margin, the particular coveraor lid B, B',or B", asthe case may be, is slotted, as at 6, for accommodating, when in closedposition over the shell, A,

shell walls b and the end strip I, and with which respective keepers C,the several locking levers 1, 8, and 9, presently described, are,adapted to ing the respective inner'end of the levers 1, 8.,

and 9, and engaging said. respective ends of the levers 1, 8, and 9andthe leaves e, e,of the crank E, are preferably loosely fitting pinsor studs H, II, forpiv'otallysecuring the crank E and the slotted orapertured keepers C Welded or otherwise fixed to, and projectingforwardlyfrom, the,

levers I, 8, 9, together. It may be here remarked that the several pinsor studs H loosely rest and ride at their lower end in the actuation ofcrank E upon the cover-section b, and fitted and secured pivotally onthe stud D to rest flatwise upon the upper crank leaf e and marginallyover the several studs or pins II, is a suitable washer l1 initiallyequipped with a bendable ear ll adapted to be upset to project into andendwise fit within a recess or opening e in the crank E for'retainingthe several pins or studs H in lever-pivoting engagement with the crankE.

The lever-pivoting studs II are annularly disposed approximatelyequidistantly the one from the other, and permanently fixed to and upon,and upstanding from, the particular lid or cover B, B, or B", as thecase may be, in respective registration longitudinally and laterallythereof for slidably accommodating the respective outer ends of thelevers I, 8, 9, are slotted guide-mem- I bers or brackets I2, as inFigures 1 to'9, both inclusive, and I2, as in Figure 10,- which are alsoin respective parallelism with the several slots 6. Each of the bracketsl2 has its single upright wall w and each of the brackets 12 has itsinner upright wall w suitably spaced inwardly upon the particular doororlid from the several slots 5, and each lever-"I, 8, and 9 has a lengthto project at its free end through the slotted wall or walls of thebrackets 12 and [2 and the registering keepers C, as best seen inFigures 1, 3, 7, and 10, each of said levers being also provided insuitable adjacence to its free end with an upstanding abutment or boss13 for engagement with the inner face of said specific walls of therespective brackets IE or l2 for purposes presently appearing.

Suitably located upon, and upstanding from, the lid B of Figures 1 to 6,both inclusive, is a fourth fixed apertured bracket [4, with which alike apertured member fixed on the lever B is adapted to fiatwise engagefor limiting the oscillatory movement of the crank E to 1ever-projectingposition and for jointly receiving the hasp of a lock 48 for preventingunauthorized opening of the door B. However, alternatively orselectively, the brackets l4 and [5 may be omitted, and the lid, as thelid B in Figure 7, provided upon its upper face with a stop I5 forengagement by'the crank E andone of the keepers, as C, and itsco-operable bracket l2, a best seen in Figures '7 to 9, both inclusive,may be outward ly extended, as at (17, a2, and registrably apertured, asat y, y, to similarly receive the hasp of a lock l6 for limiting theoscillatory movement of the crank E to lever-projecting position and forpreventing unauthorized opening of the particular lid or cover.

' In use and operation, the crank E and the several levers I, 8, 9, areso proportioned that, when said levers are retracted and crank Eoscillated to the right, they will occupy the respective positionsillustrated in Figure 4, the levers 8 and 9 being then substantially inparallel registration, the lever 7 being approximately or nearly' atright-angles thereto, all said levers being withdrawn from the severalkeepers, but loosely supported at. their free ends by, and for movementthrough, the mentioned walls of the brackets I2 or IZ a the case may be,all the several abutments l3 being shifted inwardly away from saidbracket and the particular door being then freely swingable to openposition.

Reversely, when the crank E is pivotally swung or oscillated to theleft, the respective levers I, 8, and 9, will be pivotally shiftedendwise outwardl through the brackets l2 or l2 and into engagement withtheir respective keepers, such movement of the crank E being continueduntil interrupted by and under the engagement of the bracket IS with thebracket 14 or of the crank E with the stud or stop 15, at which time thecrank E and levers or bolts 1, 8, and 9 have moved past dead-centerposition, that is to say, the

position in which the boss 13 and the pin ll of each of the bolts aresubstantially in line with the stud D, and into so-called over-centerposition, that is to say, the position shown in Figures 1 and 7.However, in movement of the crank E to such ofi-center position, thebosses l3 first impinge the several respective brackets l2 or l2, as thecase may be, and under such impinging engagement of the bosses I3 withsaid brackets as movement of the crank E in such direction is continued,the several levers 1, 8, and

9 are sprung or strained, as it may be said, with the result that, withthe crank E so shifted to off-center position, the several levers I, 8,9, s0.

shifted into engagement with the several keepers C, andthe bosses l3 inlever-straining or springing impinging relation to the fixed brackets l2or I2 the crank E is firmly retained in such ofi-center position and thedoor B securely locked or retained in closed position upon the shell Aand capable of withstanding great and excessive opening pressures.

Having reference now particularly to Figures 10 to 12, both inclusive,the brackets I2 are of U-shape in end elevation and are permanentlyfixed at their respective bights h fiatwise upon the door B" over therespective slots 6 with their walls w and w presented outwardly. Thebight h is slotted, as at s, in registration with the seats 6 foraccommodating the several keepers. C or C, and the bracket-walls 'w' andw" are slotted in registration and for registration with the respectiveslots of the keepers for accommodating the projection therethrough ofthe respective ends of the several levers 1,8, and 9, the outer walls w"of the respective brackets functioning in reenforcing the'seevral leversin withstanding endbuckling or deformation under the disrupting force ofan explosion within the shell A,"

The structure has been found exceedingly efiicient in the performance ofits intended functions, and 'I might add that suitably mounted forshiftable movement on the lid B, is a handle'F for shifting a blockGanddepending blades'H from off to on and from on" to off" position;as'in said Letters Patent No. and in detail described.

It is to be understood that changes in the form, construction,arrangement, and combination ,of the several parts of the box and itsdoor-lockingmeans may be made'and substituted for .those herein shownand described without departing from the nature-and principle of' myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure-byLetters Patentis:

1. A switch-box door-lockingasse'mbly including; in combination, a crankfor pivoted-oscillation upon the door, a fixed rigid bracket 'onthe doorin spaced relation to the pivot; of the crank and for registration witha fixed keeperon the box, a metallic latch-bolt having pivot connectionwith the crank and shiftable longitudinally and obliquely on actuationof the crank inzone'directionfor en'dwise engagingthe bracket andkeeper;and co-operable members on the:door and 1,967,523 fully ferentialrelation about the pivot of, the crank;

latch latch-bolt adapted for impinging engagement as the latch-bolt ispivotally shiftedto overcenter position for springing the latch-bolt forreleasably retaining the latch-bolt in door-locked position.

2. A switch-box door-lockingassembly including, in combination, a crankfor pivoted osci1lation upon the door, a fixed rigid bracket n the doorin spaced relation to the pivot of the crank and for registration with afixed keeper on the box, a metallic latch-bolt having pivot connec-'tion with the crankand shiftable longitudinally and obliquelyonactuation of the crank in one direction for endwise engaging the bracketand keeper, a rigid member upstanding from the door,

rigid member as thelatch-bolt is pivotally shifted to over-centerposition for springing the latchbolt for releasably retaining thelatch-bolt in door-locked position. i l

3. A switch-box door-locking assembly including, in combination, a crankfor pivoted oscillai and a rigid member upstanding from the latchboltfor impinging engagement with said first the several bolts beingshiftable longitudinally and obliquely on actuation of the crank in. one

direction for endwise engaging the respective registering brackets andprising a rigid member upstanding from the door and a second rigidmember upstanding from one of said latch-bolts for co-operable impingingen-,

gagement as the latch bolts are pivotally shifted to over-centerposition for springing the respective latch-bolt'for releasablyretaining the several bolts in door-locked position.

4. A switch-box door-locking assembly including, in combination, a crankfor pivoted oscillation upon the door, a fixed rigid bracket on the doorin spaced relation to the pivot of the crank and for registration with afixed keeper on the box, a metallic latch-bo1t having pivot connectionupon the door, a plurality of fixed rigid brackets on the door in fixedlateral relationone to the other and also in spaced longitudinalrelationto the pivot of the crank and for registraplurality of metalliclatch-bolts each having pivot connection with, and disposed in spacedcircumtion with respective fixed keepers on the box, a

tion with the crank and shiftable longitudinally and obliquely onactuation of the crank in one direction for endwise engaging the bracketand keeper, a rigid member upstanding from the door, and a pin ofcircular cross-section mounted in the latch-bolt for impingingengagement with said ijrst rigidlm'ember as the latch-bolt is pivotallyshifted to over-center position for springing thef latch-bolt forreleasably retaining the latch-bolt in door-locked position.

GEORGE R. SMITH.

keepers, and means com-

